So here's the deal, when I first built my mews, it was in the shade of two nice big trees. The problem is, here in Phoenix, trees don't last very long. The monsoons have since taken out both trees, and my mews is now exposed to the intense summer sun. My roof is simply wide corrugated sheet metal on top of a wooden frame, so the heat sun tends to heat it up really quick, which makes the inside of the mews pretty hot. So I'm looking for ways to keep it cooler in there. I'd like to avoid a mister since that would raise the humidity in the mews and increase the likelihood of mold or wood rot. I'm considering some kind of window mounted fan, put on the outside blowing fresh air in. Any other ideas?
First off, you need to change that roof out for some of the plastic or fiberglass roofing panels that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot. I would also make sure to vent part of the roof and THEN consider the potential of using a fan of some sort. But the metal roofing is 75% of your issue and it can be easily remedied. Just my 2 cents. -Joby
Post by borderhawk on Jul 26, 2009 19:17:13 GMT -5
My mews is similar to yours with the corrugated tin roof. I've been trying to decide how I want to install a fan..... but until then I've been going out a couple times a day to hose down the roof and then hose the RT and her perches through the bars. She doesn't seem to mind too much and seems to be doing fine. The mews is able to dry out between hosings as opposed to a mister. I also move her to the weathering every other day for feeding which is under the same roof but two sides are full open to the breeze with wire screen. I don't think you have as much of a breeze in Phoenix like we do over here, though. I forget, what kind of bird do you have? If it's a RT or a HH, a fan on the north side could work fine. I'm tempted to put a sprinkler on low on top of the roof to keep the roof cool and see how that does. I have dreams of building an adobe mews someday.
I've got an RT. I regularly go out and spray her down, both to cool her down, and because she doesn't like taking baths. I also weather her out now and then, and the inside gets decent ventilation. I'm just looking for ways to thriftily make it more pleasant for her. Any way you look at it, it's just plain hot.
Post by dirthawker on Jul 27, 2009 12:33:21 GMT -5
you can do like Dave did and put one of those A/C units on. but Jerry seems to do fine out there with just the mister system. I would say ask Dave what he thinks since he has seen your setup. he has always helped me out quite a bit.